Transactional Writing for Grade 12 English - All the formats
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Course
English Home Language
Institution
12th Grade
This guide contains all the transactional writing formats that need to be covered in preparation for the IEB English Grade 12 exams, along with explanations, examples, and past paper topics.
Section B: Transactional Writing
This section in the exam comprises TWO responses. ONE is compulsory. The other is a choice between
two formats. You should spend approximately 20 minutes on each response.
Any THREE of the following formats will be examined:
Email
Blog
Speech
Open letter
Editorial
Eulogy
What you need to know (taken and adapted from the IEB Subject Assessment Guidelines
2023):
Questions in this section will be based on a response to a given text/ photograph/ advertisement/ literature
studied. The focus of the question is the ability to construct an appropriate personal response to the
prompt, and to choose the correct format, style and register for the given context, purpose and
audience. The body of each piece should be between 250 and 300 words in length.
Quick Tips:
Your writing is a PERSONAL RESPONSE to the article or text given to you – do NOT summarise the
information given to you. When examining the prompt, focus on what it makes you think and feel and
consider what you have seen or read or experienced that can help you substantiate the validity of your
response.
Look at the instructions and consider:
Format
Tone
Register
Purpose
Audience
Jot down some ideas that you can organise into coherent paragraphs. Remember an introduction, body and
conclusion.
BODY PARAGRAPHS
INTRODUCTION CONCLUSION
Offer each of your
Outline the topic points with evidence Conclude with a
and reason for to substantiate and strong suggestion.
response. explain your
response
Go! (You’re almost done )
XANTHIPI THEOPHANOUS 21
,Abbreviated rubric:
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC: TRANSACTIONAL WRITING (20
MARKS= 10 + 10)
Level Mark PURPOSE AND CONTENT (RESPONSE) COMMAND OF LANGUAGE AND REGISTER
(LANGUAGE
IMPRESSIVE, SCINTILLATING IMPRESSIVE
7+ 10 Full compliance to purpose and format Impressive use of language conventions
9 Sophisticated cognisance of audience Elegant style and thoroughly engaging
Significant, with impressive detail Appropriate tone and mood
Impressive, superior organisation Highly sophisticated diction
Compelling, striking and highly original Virtually error free
LIVELY, ORIGINAL EXCELLENT
7 8½ Focused response to purpose and Highly sophisticated use of language conventions –
audience effectively varied sentence patterns
8 Comprehensive, insightful and reflective Lively, precise and engaging with excellent
Cohesive and clear development understanding of register
Original, sincere and creative Carefully selected diction
GOOD TO VERY GOOD (ABOVE GOOD TO VERY GOOD
6 7½ AVERAGE) Competent use of language conventions – varied
7 Mostly consistent focus, understanding sentence patterns
and thought Fluent and original with good understanding of register
Good personal style OR good (lively/ sincere/ humorous where appropriate)
development and depth Some editing needed
ADEQUATE (AVERAGE) ADEQUATE
6½ Broadly meets purpose and requirements Appropriate use of language – some attempt to
5 6 of task include different sentence patterns
Ordinary and predictable, although sincere Ordinary but competent
in places Occasional errors
Some ideas not completely developed
LIMITED (BELOW AVERAGE) LIMITED
4 5½ Limited success in meeting purpose and Limited range of syntactic structures
5 requirements of task Register is not consistent with task
Superficial, limited style Colourless or repetitious language
Inconsistent organisation of ideas – Errors may begin to impede readability
requires further elaboration
INADEQUATE, COMPROMISED INADEQUATE
3 Compromised and marginal at times Flawed use of language – limited range of syntactic
4½ Insufficient depth, development and structures
4 organisation of ideas Register is inappropriate for task
Vague in places Stereotyped
Errors severely impede readability – extensive editing
is required
POOR, MUDDLED POOR
3½ No awareness of purpose of task Very flawed use of language
2 3 Limited cohesion Frequent errors impede understanding
Unconvincing
INCOHERENT INCOHERENT/INAPPROPRIATE
1 2½ Completely flawed response – does not Incoherent language/inappropriate language.
2 answer question Preponderance of errors of style. Illogical.
1 No cohesion or development
XANTHIPI THEOPHANOUS 22
, 1. The Blog:
The word blog is a portmanteau of web log. This is a journal that is updated often daily, weekly or just
erratically. Updates can be of any length, depending on the content. Blogs may be run by one person or an
organisation that invites bloggers to post on the blogsite.
The difference between a blog and a diary is that a blog has public access (on the blogosphere) and
readers can often respond to an entry online.
Blogs are often used to keep family members or a group of friends up to date with the latest news that
concerns you as a family/ group/ community. Blogs can also be used to host photographs – creating
timelines of important events.
The style of writing is casual and this corresponds with the vast range of subject material that can be
included in a blog – you are writing about anything at all that interests you or a group of you.
If you lead a fascinating life, you have the advantage of excellent subject material, which will attract a
larger reading audience. Remember, though, that your inner life (your mental or emotional or
psychological journey) can be just as fascinating! Readers are interested in someone with an
engaging style and voice – someone with something to say.
Remember that a blog is a type of conversation, whether you are conducting this conversation with
yourself, a family member, a friend or the universe. Therefore, your style is conversational (as are
your spelling and punctuation, meaning that they are always correct in order to ensure maximum
grasp of meaning).
Format:
THE NAME OF THE BLOGPAGE
Consider the identity of your blogsite – does it have a specific topic that you always
cover? What is your brand identity? Think of something catchy (alliteration and puns
always come in useful .)
Examples of some of the most successful blogsites online are: Social Media Examiner;
Gizmodo; Shopify; Scary Mommy; Cup of Jo)*
*https://www.ryrob.com/blog-examples/
The Title of your Blogpost
What is today’s topic of discussion? Think of a headline that will immediately capture
your reader’s attention. Add your name and the date.
Content
Make sure your topic is relevant to your audience. Know what your audience cares
about.
Have some knowledge and a strong opinion. Engage your audience in conversation.
Have an interesting introduction . Start with a strong opening sentence.
Organise your body paragraphs logically . Each paragraph should have a particular point
that supports your introduction.
Write clearly and concisely. One of the worst things you can do is use ‘big words’ to
impress your reader when you yourself are not clear about what those words mean
exactly. Use your own voice and let your personality come through in your writing.
Footer
This is where you ask your readers for a response, e.g., Like and subscribe or Leave
your comments below or Thoughts?
XANTHIPI THEOPHANOUS 23
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